Abstract - This paper shows the expected impact of the implementation of a Port Community System (PCS) Platform, in the time of different foreign trade operations, such as document preparation, port and terminal handling, customs clearance and inspection and inland transport and handling, in an emerging economy such as the Colombian, more specifically in the Atlántico Department.  We develop two different discrete event simulation models, one of the current situation (AS-IS) without the Platform, and the other considering a business process enhanced with the PCS Platform (TO-BE), to illustrate the reduction in time of foreign trades activities such as imports. The basis of such time reduction lies in the improved rate of service of a number of bottlenecks provided by the automation granted via the PCS. The paper considers as well an analysis of 3 different prospective scenarios, based on the expected situation but with the possibility of increasing the number of imports in the region. The major conclusion is that an implementation of a PCS platform will reduce the time of the foreign trade activities (in these case Imports) in the amount of 35%. At the same time, Imports can be increased in 10% without changing the operation process, only by allowing communication and visibility through the whole supply chain using one single- window platform.

Keywords - Port Community System platform; simulation model; foreign trade activities; single window; visibility; communication.